Ecology of the cardiovascular system: Part II – A focus on non-air related pollutants

Abstract

An integrated exposomic view of the relation between environment and cardiovascular health should consider the effects of both air and non-air related environmental stressors. Cardiovascular impacts of ambient air temperature, indoor and outdoor air pollution were recently reviewed. We aim, in this second part, to address the cardiovascular effects of noise, food pollutants, radiation, and some other emerging environmental factors. Road traffic noise exposure is associated with increased risk of premature arteriosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and stroke. Numerous studies report an increased prevalence of hypertension in people exposed to noise, especially while sleeping. Sleep disturbances generated by nocturnal noise are followed by a neuroendocrine stress response. Some oxidative and inflammatory endothelial reactions are observed during experimental session of noise exposure. Moreover, throughout the alimentation, the cardiovascular system is exposed to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) as dioxins or pesticides, and plastic associated chemicals (PACs), such as bisphenol A. Epidemiological studies show positive associations of exposures to POPs and PACs with diabetes, arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular disease incidence. POPs and PACS share some abilities to interact with nuclear receptors activating different pathways leading to oxidative stress, insulin resistance and angiotensin potentiation. Regarding radiation, survivors of nuclear explosion have an excess risk of cardiovascular disease. Dose-effect relationships remain debated, but an increased cardiovascular risk at low dose of radiation exposure may be of concern. Some emerging environmental factors like electromagnetic fields, greenspace and light exposure may also require further attention. Non-air related environmental stressors also play an important role in the burden of cardiovascular disease. Specific methodologies should be developed to assess the interactions between air and non-air related pollutants.

2021 ESC Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice: Developed by the Task Force for cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice with representatives of the European Society of Cardiology and 12 medical societies With the special contribution of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC)

“…Evidence suggests that reduction of PM 2.5 is associated with improvements in inflammation, thrombosis, and oxidative stress, and a decrease in death from ischaemic heart disease. 38,160,161 As sufficiently precise individual exposure estimates are hard to obtain, formal risk reclassification is difficult to quantify at present.…”

Increased Cardiovascular Risk Associated with Chemical Sensitivity to Perfluoro–Octanoic Acid: Role of Impaired Platelet Aggregation

“…In particular, in disease conditions associated with a predominant prothrombotic state owing to the hyper-aggregability of platelets, an abnormal formation of thrombus can occur, resulting in an increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and coronary artery disease (reviewed in the works of [22,23]). Of note, environmental air pollution has been associated with increased platelet activation (reviewed in the work of [24]). As cited above, PFAS are highly persistent in human tissues and biological fluids, achieving blood levels greater 200 ng/mL [4].…”

Residential green space, air pollution, socioeconomic deprivation and cardiovascular medication sales in Belgium: A nationwide ecological study

“…In many urbanized regions lifestyle choices and environmental exposures can pose substantial risks to develop CVDs (Nayyar and Hwang 2015). There is robust evidence that indoor and outdoor air pollution, noise, urban heat, psychological stress, physical inactivity, obesity, high salt and fat intake, alcohol use, smoking, food pollutants and the lack of social contact contribute to CVD morbidity and premature mortality (Nawrot et al 2011;Wirtz and von Känel 2017;Nieuwenhuijsen 2018;Argacha et al 2018;Argacha et al 2019;Wu et al 2019). In contrast, there is increasing scientific evidence for the benefits of exposure to residential green space for the prevention and reduction of risk of CVD (Crouse et al 2017;Vienneau et al 2017;Vivanco-Hidalgo et al 2019;Wang et al 2019;Orioli et al 2019;Yeager et al 2018;2019).…”